First transgender lawmaker arrested for child sex abuse images.

Lorri WickenhauserJune 23, 2023

Former New Hampshire Legislator Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

A shocking incident has unfolded involving Stacie Marie Laughton, a former New Hampshire legislator and the nation’s first openly transgender state elected official. Laughton, previously known as Barry Charles Laughton, Jr., has been arrested on four counts of distributing sexually explicit images of children, according to reports.

The arrest of Laughton, 39, took place on Thursday and has sent shockwaves through the community. The charges against Laughton are connected to Lindsay Groves, a former employee at a daycare center in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. Groves allegedly took nude images of children at the daycare and sent them to Laughton, with whom she had an intimate relationship.

According to U.S. attorney Joshua S. Levy, Groves captured the explicit photos of young children during bathroom breaks and diaper changes, then shared them with Laughton via text message. Shockingly, it is reported that Groves and Laughton exchanged over 2,500 text messages discussing and transferring these explicit photographs.

A Troubled Political Career

Laughton, a Democrat, has had a troubled political career. Despite being elected as a state lawmaker in 2012, Laughton was forced to resign due to a 2008 felony conviction for credit card fraud and falsifying physical evidence. However, Laughton made a comeback and was re-elected as a state representative in 2020, despite a 2015 arrest for making a bomb threat against a hospital.

Unfortunately, Laughton’s legal troubles continued, with an arrest in July 2021 on charges of misusing the state’s 911 texting system. Despite these setbacks, Laughton was re-elected in November 2022 but ultimately resigned after being arrested for stalking a woman in Hudson.

Laughton’s resignation from the House came in the form of a Facebook video, where he expressed disappointment but vowed to come back stronger. “I’m not perfect. Even in the future, I still won’t be perfect, but I will be a better version of myself and better able to handle situations that come my way,” Laughton said.

This shocking incident has left the community in disbelief and raises serious concerns about the safety and well-being of children. The legal proceedings will determine the fate of Laughton and Groves, but the impact of their actions will undoubtedly be felt for a long time.

Former state Rep. Stacie Marie Laughton of Derry, the first openly transgender person elected to the N.H. House of Representatives, was arrested Thursday by Nashua police on charges she allegedly distributed child sexual abuse images, officials said… https://t.co/XK9RSbOP3p

— UnionLeader.com (@UnionLeader) June 23, 2023